The Sweetest Thing

chapter 10

Hermione POV

"Onlookers say, the two didn't leave each others side all night, and only danced with each other. Only adding to the cauldron of stories, that there are some saucy benefits to their cozy friendship" Luna read out loud, as we sat in the sunroom at Malfoy Manor, with Astoria. She was pouring over an article in Witches Brew, it was accompanied by a picture of myself and Harry dancing at the club the other night.

"If I weren't actually there that night, I would say the same, that angle makes it look like he's about to jump your bones right there on the dancefloor." Astoria adds, causing a fit of giggles to erupt from Luna. I just glared at her, this is all just ridiculous, sure we were dancing rather close but it was all in the name of fun.

"Very funny, Story. I wish people will stop making more of this than it is" I say, enjoying the tea and pasties we'd been served by one of their house elves, Tabby. "Firstly, that's not even true, I didn't just dance with Harry all night. I danced with Blaize too, and some guy named Spike. Who actually tried to grind his,...business, a bit too close to my business" I say, trying my best not to blush. The other two reveled in my moment of awkwardness. "His business, hey. Anything worth mentioning" Story says, wiggling her eyebrows.  "Not really, it was just too pokey for my liking" I say with a disgusted face, remembering the experience. The guy wasn't a complete creeper, he just got too close for comfort.

"And what about your other partner, anything worth mentioning about his business", Luna asked. "Oooh, yes! I wana know too!" Story says, almost falling out of her seat. "Which one? Not that I really got close to either one's, business." , "Harry of course" they say almost in unison. "And can we stop calling it their 'business', we're not twelve." Story adds.

I stare at them in shock "How would I have anything to mention about Harry's..-" , "Mione, don't you dare say business again!" Story cut me off mid sentence. "I wasn't going to" I laugh, I can't believe these two. "And I have nothing to say on the matter. Honestly, does it look like I'll have anything to mention about that part of his body?", "Uhm, yes it does. It certainly looks like you got close enough to it, in this picture" Luna says.

"It does not!" I protest, sure in the picture his holding me close to his body but its not like the bottom part of our bodies were actually making contact with each others. Not that you would be able to see that, because the picture is conveniently cut off, above the waist. Geeze I don't even remember dancing this intimately with him, was I really that out of it, that night?

"Look, this picture is just taken out of context, neither one of us were dancing with lecherous intent. I hate that all we do, always have to be documented and turned into something sordid. This is exactly why the poor man doesn't want to go out and act his age, to being with" I say, feeling a bit annoyed at my life in general. I mean we risked our lives when we were teenagers, don't we deserve a break.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you, Hermione. You know non of us really believe the stuff they write about you guys. And I try my best to only publish stuff about you guys, only when its really called for." Luna says in her dreamy voice, placing a hand on my shoulder. I can't help but calm down a bit though.
"Ok, picture aside, just tell me why you two always feel like you need to protect the other one. I mean, that's how you ended up dancing with him all night anyway, feeling like he needed protection from fangirls. And how he wanted to got mad almost, when he realised how drunk you were, immediately volunteering to make sure you get home safe." Astoria says.